Unbreakable Bond
by DrakenSword0z
Summary: A slightly altered ending to Control choice. Starts right before Anderson dies. One-shot. FemShepXGarrus Might be continuing...


Unbreakable Bond

Mass Effect Fanfiction

Summary: A slightly altered ending to Control choice. Starts right before Anderson dies. One-shot. FemShepXGarrus

"talking"

"_thoughts"_

"**Catalyst/AI"**

0000 Story Start

Jane pressed the controls on the holographic screen, letting the arms of the Citadel open and allowing the Crucible to connect. As she stepped back from the panel, a grunt could be heard behind her. She turned around to see a wounded Anderson moving before leaning on a slightly raised platform. Jane grunted in pain as she trudged over and sat down painfully next to her mentor, her father figure, her best friend. She smiled lightly despite the pain she was in.

"Commander." Anderson said, a hint of pain was in it as well.

"We did it." Jane said, the two gazed outside to see the ongoing raging battle against the Reapers.

Anderson nodded in agreement as they continued to watch, explosions would occasionally appear. A few reaper captain ships fell but many more took their place, as did with the other side.

"We did." Anderson said. "It's ugh….quite a view…"

Jane grunted and coughed blooded before replying. "B-best seats in the h-house…."

Silence was between them before Anderson broke it.

"God…feels like years since I just…sat down."

Jane turned her head slightly, her red hair swayed gently.

*cough! "I think you've earned a rest…Anderson." She replied.

"Hnnngh….hmm…" Anderson grunted, his eyes closing and opening.

"Stay with me Anderson…we're almost through this." Jane said, Anderson nodded slightly.

"You did good child. You did good. I'm…proud of you." Anderson said as his head dropped.

"Thank you sir." Jane replied as she turned her head further to look at him. He wasn't moving…wasn't breathing. "Anderson?"

When no response came, Jane felt something slide down her cheeks. Ever since she was a child raised on the streets of Earth, ever since she survived on Akuze, her mentor, her friend, and father figure. He was the one she looked up to, to look for guidance. And now…he was gone…gone forever.

"Anderson? This isn't funny…Anderson? Please…" Jane said pleadingly, still no response.

Realizing that he was gone, a few more tears slid down as she leaned her head backwards. Her eyes began to close slightly, darkness began to take her. Her arm holding her wound slid down lightly.

"_Commander Shepard…"_ a voice echoed, it sounded a lot…a lot like Kaiden.

"…_goodbye…Shepard…"_ Thane's voice followed.

"_Shepard…" _a voice sounding a lot like her friend Miranda.

"_Shepard-Commander…"_ that familiar call of Legion echoed, the one who sacrificed to the Geth could be individuals.

"_Had to be me Shepard. Anyone else would've gotten it wrong."_ Mordin's fast pace talk followed in chorus.

"_Shepard…"_

"_Shepard."_

"_Shepard!"_

"Shepard! Jane! Wake up! You're not dying on me!" a familiar voice shouted, someone was shaking her awake.

Jane's vision opened to see Garrus Vakarian looking at her worriedly. Her love interest, as well as her second best-friend.

"Garrus…how'd you get here?" Jane said in pain.

"I followed you up; Tali went back to the Normandy along with the other soldiers. Harbinger is hitting this place hard. Why isn't the Crucible firing?!" Garrus replied as he helped Jane up. "I was in those black tunnels until I heard gunfire, so I rushed, and found you here…I'm sorry about Anderson…"

"The Crucible…it's not firing? Why…I don't see-"

The floor beneath shuddered before lifting the two upwards.

"What's going on?!" Garrus said as they came to another level.

As they looked around, a boy was walking towards them. Garrus was watching the boy cautiously, Jane was having trouble staying awake.

"Who are you. And...where are we?" Jane said as the boy stopped and stood before them.

"**I am the Catalyst. And this…this is the Crucible, my home."** The boy said.

"I thought the Citadel was the Catalyst?" Garrus spoke in, the boy shook his head.

"**No. The Citadel is part of me."** The boy replied.

"I need to stop the Reapers. Do you know how I can do that?" Jane said.

"**The Reapers are mine. I control them. They are my solution."** The Catalyst said as it turned and beckoned them to follow.

Garrus was warily but Jane urged him forward, Garrus nodded before helping Jane walk with him. Both following the Catalyst.

"You said solution. Solution to what." Garrus asked as he held Jane.

There was a brief silence before the boy replied. **"Chaos."**

"**You bring it on yourselves. The created will always rebel against their creators. But we found out a way to stop that from happening. A way to restore order for the next cycle."**

"By wiping out organic life?" Garrus said angrily, the boy stopped and looked at him unfazed.

"**No. We harvest advanced civilizations, leaving the younger ones alone." **The Catalyst said before resuming its walk.** "Just as we left your people alive the last time we were here."**

"But you killed the rest…" Jane spoke in.

"**We helped them ascend, so they can make way for new life, storing the old life in Reaper form."** The Catalyst replied.

"I think we'd rather keep our forms." Garrus said, Jane nodded as well.

"**No you can't. Without us to stop it, all synthetics would destroy all organics. We created the cycle so that never happens. That's the solution."**

"You said you were the Catalyst,…but what are you?" Jane said weakly.

"**A construct. An intelligence designed eons ago to solve a problem. I was created to bring balance, to be the catalyst for peace between organics and synthetics."**

"So you're just an AI?" Jane said again.

"**In as much you are just an animal. I embody the collective intelligence of all Reapers."**

"But you were created…" she continued.

"**Correct."**

"By who?"

"**By the ones who recognized that conflict between synthetics and organics. I was first created to oversee the relations between synthetics and organic life…to establish a connection. But our efforts always ended in conflict, so a new solution was required.**

"The Reapers?"

"**Precisely."**

"Where did the Reapers come from? Did you create them?"

"**My creators gave them form. I gave them function. They, in turn, give me purpose. The Reapers are a synthetic representation of my creators."**

"And what happened to your creators?"

"**They became the first true Reaper. They did not approve, but it was the only solution."**

"You said that before, but how do the Reapers solve anything?"

"**Organics create synthetics to improve their own existence, but those improvements have limits. To exceed those limits synthetics must be allowed to evolve. They must, by definition, surpass their creators. The result is conflict, destruction, chaos. It is inevitable. Reapers harvest all life-organics and synthetics-preserving them before they are forever lost to this conflict."**

"We're at war with the Reapers right now!"

"**You may be in conflict with the Reapers, but they are not interested in war."**

"I find that hard to believe." Garrus spoke in.

"**When fire burns, is it at war? Is it in conflict? Or is it simply doing what it was created to do? We are no different. We harvest your bodies, your knowledge, your creations. We preserve it to be reborn in the form of a new Reaper. Like a cleansing fire, we restore balance. New life, both organic and synthetic, can once again flourish."**

"What do you know about the Crucible?" he asked.

"**The device you refer as the Crucible is little more than a power source. However, in combination with the Citadel and the relays, it is capable of releasing tremendous amounts of energy throughout the galaxy. It is crude, but effective and adaptive in its design."**

"Who designed it?"

"**You would not know them, and there is not enough time to explain. We first noted the concept for this device several cycles ago. With each passing cycle, the design has no doubt evolved."**

"Why didn't you stop it?"

"**We believed the concept had been eradicated. Clearly, organics are more resourceful than we realized."**

"But you're taking away our future. Without a future, we have no hope. Without hope…we might as well be machines programmed to do what we're told."

"**You have hope. More than you think. The fact you are standing here, the first organics ever, proves it. But it also proves my solution won't work anymore."**

"So now what?"

"**We find a new solution."**

"Why are you telling us this? Why help us?" Jane said as she looked at the Catalyst.

"**You have altered the variables."**

"What do you mean?"

"**The Crucible changed me, created new…possibilities. But I can't make them happen. If there is to be a new solution, you must act. It is now in your power to destroy us."**

The boy points over towards a platform that was glowing red. Jane looked over and saw a vision of Anderson, her father figure, alive and well shooting the container before being engulfed in a blaze of red and yellow.

"**But be warned: others will be desotryed as well. The Crucible will not discriminate. All synthetics will be targeted. Even you are partly synthetic…"**

"What exactly will happen?"

"**Your Crucible devie appears to be largely intact. However, the effects of the blast will not be constrained to the Reapers. Technology you rely on will be affected, but those who survive should have little difficulty repairing the damage."**

Another vision appears the Crucible gathering energy before firing a red beam. The blast destroys the Reapers in process across the Galaxy…including the Geth that Legion died for, and EDI herself.

"**There will still be losses, but no more than what had already been lost."**

"But the Reapers will be destroyed?"

"**Yes, but the peace won't last. Soon, your children will create synthetics, and then the chaos will come back."**

"There has to be another way."

"**There is. You could instead use the energy of the Crucible to seize control of the Reapers."**

The Catalyst said looking over to the left side of the room. Another platform that glowed blue. Another vision stirred showing the Illusive Man grabbing onto the energy before vanishing to nothingness.

"So…the Illusive Man was right after all."

"**Yes, but he could never have taken control…because we already controlled him."**

"But I can…"

"**You will die, you will control us, but you will lose everything you have."**

"But how can I control the Reapers if I'm dead?"

"**Your corporeal form will be dissolved, but your thoughts, and even your memories, will continue."**

A vision showing the Citadel closing, the Crucible firing a blue beam. The blast hitting the Reapers but making them leave all planets in the Galaxy.

"**You will no longer be organic. Your connection to your kind will be lost, though you will remain aware of their existence."**

"But will the Reapers obey me?"

"**Yes. We will be yours to control and direct as you see fit."**

"Hmm."

"**There is another solution."**

Jane and Garrus looked at the Catalyst expectantly, who in return looked at them before looking forward, directly towards the beam.

"**Synthesis."**

"And that is?"

"**Add your energy to the Crucible. The chain reaction will combine all synthetics and organic life into a new framework. A new…DNA."**

"Explain how my energy can be added to the Crucible."

"**Your organic energy, the essence of who and what you are, will be broken down and then dispersed."**

Another vision came, the Crucible firing a green beam. When the beam hit every single thing in the galaxy, every organic being began to glow slightly green, including their eyes as well. The Reapers themselves leave the planets as well.

"To do what exactly?"

"**The energy in the Crucible, released in this way, will alter the matrix of all organic life in the galaxy. Organics seek perfection through technology. Synthetics seek perfection through understanding. Organics will be perfected by integrating synthetic technology. Synthetics, in turn, will finally have full understanding of organics. It is the ideal solution. Now that we know it is possible, it is inevitable we will reach synthesis."**

"Why couldn't you do it sooner?"

"**We have tried…a similar solution in the past. But it has always failed."**

"Why"

"**Because the organics were not ready. It is not something that can be…forced. You are ready. And you may choose it."**

"I…don't know."

"**Why not? Synthetics are already part of you. Can you imagine your life without them?"**

"And there will be peace?"

"**The cycle will end, the Reapers will cease their harvest, and the civilizations preserved in their forms will be connected to all of us. Synthesis is the final evolution of all life. The paths are open. But you have to choose."**

"Three choices…three solutions…three fates…Shepard this is crazy. It's impossible to choose!" Garrus said, Jane too inwardly agreed.

"Yeah…but…we need to end it now. To save…everyone…" Jane said.

"Jane…I…you're right…" Garrus said defeated. "What will you choose? All three will still or may result us or you in dying…"

Jane was in deep thought on this choice. This was the toughest one in her life…

"_Destroy? No…Legion died so his people could have individuality…and EDI and Joker…I can't do that…"_

"_Synthesis? Everyone will become partly synthetic…I don't want to change everyone…but it would give them immortality…"_

"_Control? Seems like the best…but…I would lose everything…but…I would be immortal while everyone I knew would…wither away…"_

With a final grunt, Jane lifted her arm and pointed at the Blue Platform. Garrus grip stiffened as Jane made her choice.

"Jane…but…" Garrus started but the words were cut.

"I'm sorry…Garrus…I can't destroy…I can't change everyone against their will…bring me over there…" Jane said weakly, Garrus tightened his grip before nodding.

Their feet thumped loudly as their approached the Blue Platform, the Catalyst materialzed behind them waiting. Garrus's steps became more stiff as they neared the two blue pylons. Garrus stopped short as Jane let her grip go and lumbered forward. She glanced back at Garrus who was stiff.

"Jane…" Garrus called.

"Garrus…get out of here…go as fast as you can…I'm sorry…I love you Garrus…" Jane said before turning her attention back to the pylons.

With a final grunt of pain she latched both of her hands onto the pylons. Pain. Intense pain was the next thing she felt. Her form fell to the floor from the amount, she gasped as she stood up once more and tried to place her hand on the second pylon, only to see another hand on it. She looked to see Garrus who was grimacing in pain.

"Garrus!? What are you doing? Get out of here!" Jane pleaded, Garrus only growled and shook his head.

"No! I won't leave! I lost you once, I'm not losing you again Jane." Garrus said with anger and sadness. "I'm not going to lose you again!"

Garrus then took her hand and lifted her up, he held onto it tightly as if it was his life line. Jane looked into his eyes and knew instantly he wouldn't take any other answer. He wasn't going to leave, not now, never. As they gazed into each other's eyes, Jane began to tear up again and move closer, Garrus too moved closer as well. Another blast of energy made them cry in pain, their skin and form began to slowly disintegrate.

"Garrus…Garruss…I love you…" Jane said.

"I love you too…I love you too Jane, ever since we met." Garrus replied.

With that they leaned and gave each other a kiss. A long kiss before another blast emitted, both vanishing to nothing.

0000

The Crucible fired a beam of blue light and began to break apart. A large explosion of energy rocked the Earth as it dispersed throughout the world. Alliance soldiers and many others all over the world who had not evacuated yet watched in relief and awe as the blue pulse ran right through them. The lights on the Reapers turned blue and the Reapers began to leave Earth, just like that.

Admiral Hackett watched on sensors as the light traveled to all relays and simultaneously exploded, though the relays themselves only seemed to be severely damaged. All over the universe, the Reapers simply stopped attacking and left the planets they were assaulting, soldiers were cheering as they left. Hackett received reports of the Reapers pulling out of Thessia and Palaven as well and returning to dark space.

_"You did it Shepard, you did it."_ thought Admiral Hackett, watching all Reapers disappear on the sensors.

0000 End

*Author is sobbing before his mood did a instant 180

Heya people, played Mass Effect Trilogy just a few days ago again and beat it again. And decided to do a fic about the Control Ending, this time with a few tweaks in it. Hope you enjoyed it! I might even be thinking about continuing it, but who knows. Anyways…PEACE!


End file.
